XS135 EMERGENCY CARE Course Syllabus - Jennifer Walker

Term
Spring 2026
Section
M1
Course Delivery
ln person­[FTF]
Class Program

XS135:

Credits 4
Description

Introduction and practice in advance first aid, CPR techniques, AED instruction, and oxygen administration for the paramedical professional.  Students must meet professional rescuer standards as established by national certification agencies such as the American Red Cross and the American Heart Association.  

Meeting Times, Location, & Course Delivery Details

Meeting Days:
MWF
Meeting Times:
11:30-12:30
Location:
CSS 110
Delivery Details

In Person.

* If WC were to move to an online format, this class would move to online synchronous, Zoom*

Contact Information

Instructor:
Jennifer Walker
Instructor Email:
jennifer_walker@wilmington.edu
Office Location:
CSS 115
Phone Number
9377604211
Office Hours:
M 1:30-3:00pm, W 1:30-3:00pm, F 10:30-11:30am and 12:30-1:30pm Email me for any other times by appt; either in person, phone or zoom
Course Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course....

Course Materials

Textbook;      American Heart Association; BLS Provider Manual, 2025 edition.  This book is distributed in class, provided by your class fees.
Name:
Edition:
ISBN:
Author:
Publisher:

Instructor's Course Objectives
  • Explain how the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) system works and the professional rescuer’s role in the EMS system, including how this role differs from the citizen responder’s.
  • Understand Team Dynamics
  • Identify guidelines to follow to ensure personal safety (BSI/BBP) and the safety of others at an emergency scene.
  • Explain what happens in the body if certain body systems fail to function.
  • Identify ways in which diseases are transmitted and describe basic safety precautions to prevent transmission (BSI/BBP).
  • Recognize the signs and symptoms of breathing emergencies, including choking, and demonstrate how to provide rescue breathing and first aid for choking.
  • Identify a resuscitation mask and a bag-valve mask and demonstrate how to use them.
  • Identify the major risk factors for cardiovascular disease and describe how to minimize them.
  • Recognize the signs and symptoms of a possible heart attack and describe how to care for someone who is experiencing persistent chest pain.
  • Recognize the signs of cardiac arrest and demonstrate how to provide CPR (adult, child, infant) until advanced emergency medical care arrives.
  • Explain how to give CPR in certain special situations and under certain conditions.
  • Understand lifesaving defibrillation, including using an automated external defibrillator.
  • Identify when it is appropriate to administer supplemental oxygen.
  • Describe and demonstrate the steps required to administer supplemental oxygen to a breathing and non-breathing victim.
  • Describe and demonstrate how to measure and insert an oropharyngeal (oral) airway and a nasopharyngeal (nasal) airway.
  • Describe and demonstrate the techniques for suctioning.
  • Recognize life-threatening bleeding and demonstrate how to control it.
  • Recognize the signs and symptoms of shock and describe how to minimize its effects.
  • Recognize the signs and symptoms of various soft tissue and musculoskeletal injuries and demonstrate how to care for them.  Spine boarding will be included.
  • Recognize the signs and symptoms of sudden illness, including poisoning, overdose, bites and stings, and heat and cold emergencies, stroke, anaphylaxis and describe how to care for them.
  • Describe when and how to move a victim in an emergency situation.
Course Schedule

Tentative Schedule;

Course Schedule

Week

Weekly Dates:   

Topic

WK 1 

1/12

 

Part 1:  Intro/General Concepts,  AHA Guidelines, Age defined, Cardiac Arrest vs Heart Attack

            

WK 2 1/19 (no class Mon)

BBP/ Shock/Recovery position

Part 2: Chain of Survival 

WK 31/26

Part 3: BLS/CPR Adults

Part 4: AED- Adult (over 8 yr old)

WK 42/2

Part 5: Team Dynamics (roles/resp, communication)

Part 6: BLS/CPR Infant and Children

WK 52/9

Part 6: BLS/CPR Infant and Children, continued

Part 7: AED- Child (under 8 yr old), Infant

WK 6

2/16

 

Part 8: Alt Ventilation Techniques

Part 9: Opioid-Associated Emergencies

WK 7

2/23

  

Part 10: Other Life Threatening Emergencies

Part 11: Choking Relief (adult, child, infant)

WK 8 

3/2

 

Part 11: Choking Relief (adult, child, infant), continued

      AHA TEST #1   ?  (Specific date ?)

WK 9 3/9SPRING BREAK- NO CLASS
WK 103/16Oxygen, Airways (OPA, NPA), Suction
WK 113/23Oxygen, Airways (OPA, NPA), Suction, continued
WK 123/30 (no class Friday; Good Friday)First Aid topics: bleeding, heat/cold emergencies, soft tissue/ musculoskeletal conditions, sudden illness, poisoning, bites/stings
WK 13

4/6

 

 

First Aid topics: bleeding, heat/cold emergencies, soft tissue/ musculoskeletal conditions, sudden illness, poisoning, bites/stings, continued

WK 14

_____

WK15

_____

WK16

_____

Final Exam

4/13

__________________

4/20

__________________

4/27 (5/1; last day of class)

__________________

5/6/26

10:15am-12:15pm

First Aid topics: bleeding, heat/cold emergencies, soft tissue/ musculoskeletal conditions, sudden illness, poisoning, bites/stings, continued

_____________________________________________

Moving a victim in an emergency situation, Specific emergency sport related topics (Spine boarding)

___________________________________________________

Specific emergency sport related topics (Spine boarding), continued

Catch up/review if needed

_____________________________________________

FINAL WRITTEN  EXAM (AHA  #2 TEST)

****FINAL PRACTICAL EXAM- by appointment in my office****

Subject to change during the semester. Adequate notice of changes will be given.

Course Assignments

            1Exam; BLS.............…………………….25 pts, counts double

                                                                      1Exam; First Aid......…………………….15 pts, counts double

                                                                          Weekly Quizzes...…………………...…...20 pts. each

                                                                   Skill Check off’s …………………..……10 pts. each                                                                                    Final Practical Exam..……….……..…....200 pts.                                                                                                  **Exams and assignments may vary**       

*Written & practical skill check offs must be passed by 84% or higher in order to receive a certification card from the American Heart Association.  The certification card is good for 2 years.

**BBP is renewed annually (possibly required by workplaces).

***Practical check offs will be scheduled outside of regular class time.  1 on 1 evaluation.

                                                                                                              

Course Final Exam
Final AHA Exam and Practical Skills Check Offs (1 on 1)
Evaluation of Work

The grading scale will be as follows:

A =  90 – 100% of total pts.   

                                                                          B =  80 – 89% of total pts.     

                                                                          C =  70 – 79% of total pts.     

                                                                          D = 60 – 69% of total pts.                

                                                                          F = 59% and below

*Grading system is straight letter grade, no +/- grades.

   * Points will be deducted from tests for late arrival on test days*

   *Instructor reserves the right to take attendance and participation into consideration when assessing final grades in this class.

Grade Notification: Available on Blackboard 

Instructor Course Policies

Instructor's Course Attendance Policy

Due to the hands on experiences of this course, students are expected to attend all classes.  More than 3 (three) unexcused absences will result in an “F” in this course, regardless of points accumulated on exams, quizzes, etc.

“See the current Student Handbook for the college’s Attendance Policy especially as it pertains to excused absences.”

Instructor's Academic Integrity Policy

 

              Scholastic misconduct is cause for a failing grade (for assignment and/or the class) and a letter about the incident will be placed in the student’s permanent file in the Office of Academic Affairs.  The student may be asked to appear before the Academic Standards and Appeals Committee as well.

              Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating on assignments or examinations, plagiarizing, misrepresenting as your own work any part of work done by another, or interfering with another student’s work.

              “See the current Student Handbook for the college’s Academic Integrity policies as they pertain to examinations, plagiarism, classroom behavior, and the process for handling academic misconduct charges.”

  

             ***AI use will NOT be permitted in this class***

Cell Phone/Texting:

ABSOLUTELY NO cell phone use (including texting) in class! Your complete attention is needed at all times.  Cell phone use will be considered academic misconduct! 

Institutional and Program-Level Policies

Final Exam Schedule

All exams will follow the Final Exam Schedule. Students scheduled to take three or more final examinations on one day may request to arrange their examination schedule, so no more than two exams occur on one day.
Requests for early or late exams are considered only under extreme circumstances. Prior to the exam period, the student must file a written request on the Early/Late Exam Form available in the Student One Stop Center, Academic Records, and on the WC portal. The form must be signed by the Instructor and the Academic Dean, approving the alternate exam time. This process must be completed prior to the scheduled exam period.

Undergraduate:  SP25 Final Exam Schedule    Graduate:  

 

Out-of-class Work Expectation

A minimum of 2 hours of out-of-class student work is expected for each hour of in-class time for traditional face-to-face courses. For online and hybrid courses, the combination of face-to-face time and out-of-class work should be equal to 3 hours per credit hour per week.

Instructional Course Delivery                                                                                                            

Definition of Courses

Academic Integrity Policy

The use of generative AI is prohibited except where expressly allowed in assignment instructions.

Academic Integrity Policy

Class Attendance Policy                              

Institutional Class Attendance Policy

Accessibility and Disability Services